Every person owning real estate within the Town
shall keep their property free of all trash, garbage, refuse, litter
and other substances which might endanger the health and safety of
the residents of the Town.

Nothing in this section should be construed to apply to landowners
who wish to landscape, garden or plant native flowers, trees or shrubs
on their property to sustain birds, bees, butterflies and other beneficial
insects as befits a community with as many natural resources as Hillsville.
However, all such plantings shall be conducted and maintained in an
orderly fashion in keeping with other aspects of Town Code regarding
appropriate maintenance and upkeep of properties.

The owners of property within the Town shall, at such time or times
as the Town may prescribe, remove therefrom any and all trash, garbage,
refuse, litter and other substances which might endanger the health
or safety of other residents of the Town; or may, whenever the Town
deems it necessary, have such trash, garbage, refuse, litter and other
like substances which might endanger the health of other residents
of the Town removed by its own agents or employees, in which event
the cost or expenses thereof shall be chargeable to and paid by the
owners of such property and may be collected by the Town as taxes
are collected. Trash, garbage, refuse, litter and other debris shall
be disposed of in personally owned or privately owned receptacles
that are provided for such use and for the use of the persons disposing
of such matter or in authorized facilities provided for such purpose
and in no other manner not authorized by law.

The Town Manager or agents of the Town shall, upon their own initiative
or when requested to do so in writing, investigate any land or lot.
If it has been determined that there is a violation of this section,
the Town Manager or an agent of the Town shall notify the owner of
the land or lot upon which the violation exists to remedy the condition.
Such notice shall be in writing and delivered or mailed by certified
mail to the last known address of the owner. If, after 30 days from
the mailing of the certified notice, the condition remains, the owner
shall be deemed to be in violation of this section. After that date,
the Town Manager or the Town's agents shall have such trash,
garbage, refuse, litter or other like substances removed, in which
event the cost and expenses thereof shall be chargeable to and paid
by the owner of such property and may be collected by the Town by
billing or as taxes are collected.

It shall be unlawful for the owner of any land or lot within the
Town to permit grass, weeds, brush and other foreign growth standing
more than eight inches in height to remain upon so much of the property
as lies within 100 feet of any street, dwelling house or commercial
building. The Town Manager or agents of the Town shall, upon their
own initiative or when requested to do so in writing, investigate
any land or lot. If it has been determined that there is a violation
of this section, the Town Manager or an agent of the Town shall notify
the owner of the land or lot upon which the violation exists to cut
and/or remove the condition. Such notice shall be in writing and delivered
or mailed by certified mail to the last known address of the owner.
If, after seven days from the mailing of the certified notice, the
condition remains, the owner shall be deemed to be in violation of
this section. Whenever the Town deems it necessary, after seven days
from the time of notice, the Town Manager or the Town's agents
shall have such grass, weeds, foreign growth or debris cut and/or
removed, in which event the cost and expenses thereof shall be chargeable
to and paid by the owner of such property and may be collected by
the Town by billing or as taxes are collected.

Any person or entity receiving a second notice of violation within
one calendar of the first notice of violation shall be fined an amount
up to $500. Any person or entity receiving a third violation within
one calendar year of the first two notices of violation shall be fined
an amount of $700. Any person or entity receiving a fourth or subsequent
notice of violation within one calendar year of the prior notices
of violation shall be fined an amount up to $1,000. Whenever the Town
deems it necessary, after seven days from the time of notice, the
Town Manager or the Town’s agents shall have such grass, weeds,
foreign growth or debris cut and/or trash, refuse removed, in which
event the cost and expenses thereof shall be chargeable to and paid
by the owner of such property and may be collected by the Town by
billing or as taxes are collected.

Every charge authorized by this Article with
which the owner of any such property shall have been assessed and
which remains unpaid shall constitute a lien against such property,
and the Treasurer shall file with the Clerk of the County Court a
statement of the lien claim. This statement shall contain the legal
description of the premises served, the name of the recorded owner,
the amount of the unpaid bill and a notice that the Town claims a
lien of this amount for service rendered. This statement shall be
recorded in a lien book provided by the Town for the purpose of recording
such liens. Settlement or payment of these liens can be made upon
paying the amount of the recorded lien plus 6% interest from the date
of such filing and any costs involved in their recordation and in
the recording of the release of such lien. Release of such liens shall
be executed by the Treasurer upon presentation of evidence that the
amount of the lien and cost involved have been paid into the treasury
of the Town.

Any person violating any of the provisions of this article shall
be subject to a civil penalty, not to exceed $100 for the first violation
and initial summons and not more than $350 for each additional summons.
Each day during which the violation is found to have existed shall
constitute a separate offense. The civil penalty for subsequent violations
not arising from the same set of operative facts within 12 months
of the first violation shall not exceed $350. Violations arising from
the same operative set of facts shall not be charged more frequently
than once in any ten-day period, and a series of specified violations
arising from the same operative set of facts shall not result in civil
penalties which exceed a total of $4,000.

All householders and apartment house owners with garbage
and refuse to be collected by the Town shall provide one or more metal
or plastic containers with a capacity of not more than 32 gallons,
and with tight-fitting lids that shall be kept thereon at all times,
except when the container is being filled or emptied, and lined with
trash bags.

Eating establishments and all business firms handling
foods, including grocery stores, produce markets and dairies, shall
provide metal or plastic containers with a capacity of not more than
32 gallons, and with tight-fitting lids, lined with trash bags of
a size and quality to hold trash without bursting, or an approved
type of truck-lift container for waste and food products.

Business establishments shall provide storage rooms
or covered storage bins for waste products other than food wastes
and shall put all trash in large boxes or cartons and place in the
storage room or bin for collection.

Householders shall place all refuse containers at
one location at the edge of any street adjacent to their property.
Town employees will not enter private property for the collection
of garbage and refuse except when so authorized by the Town Manager.

Refuse containers shall not be set out before 12:00
noon the day prior to the scheduled pickup. For the first offense
of this subsection, a warning letter shall be sent by the Town Manager.
The second offense shall be a civil penalty with a fine of $25. The
third offense shall be a misdemeanor with a fine of $50.

Business establishments will place their refuse containers
at the rear or side of the establishments in such a manner that they
will be readily accessible to the sanitation crew. Trash that is placed
in said container must be done in such a manner that it is within
the container proper. Also, no grease shall be placed within the container.
Failure to keep the trash properly within the container or placing
grease within the container shall cause the Town to refuse service
until such conditions are corrected.

It shall be unlawful for any person to deposit,
throw, cast or dump any solid waste or refuse generated outside of
the Town of Hillsville in the public trash bins on Town streets, at
residences within the Town, or in bulk containers located at businesses
within the Town.